Places to Visit Near Yana

Trips

Top Places To
Visit in Yana

Hotels and
Homestays in Yana

About Yana

If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, you can hire a bike or car and drive till the Yana Village nearby. It's 53km away, which means you will be on the road for around an hour and a half. This village is famous for its unusual rock formations (as shown in the picture above) called Karst or Asteroids. This attracts many trekkers here, resulting in economic benefits for this tiny village. This place also hosts an annual car festival during Shivratris, so you can plan your trip accordingly if you wish to witness that. The surrounding areas are populated by dense green forests where you can easily chill for a while and enjoy the view before hitting the road back to Gokarna.Read More

About 100kms west of Mysore, the hilly hamlet of Kodagu (formerly known as Coorg) is located in the evergreen highlands of the Western Ghats. This charming district beckons tourists with its spice gardens, cardamom forests and a sea of coffee plantations. Travel to Coorg for the wide array of adventure activities. Raft through the white rapids of the Barapole river, trek across the grasslands of the Kopatty-Kalugundi trail or quad biking through the Chevalara falls. For those seeking a more relaxed experience, fishing at the Valnoor and Bheemeshwari fishing camps or simply wandering through coffee plantations are some of the most sought after things to do in Coorg.
The 17th century Madikeri Fort where the revered Tipu Sultan once held court, and the Omkareshwar temple are among the most famous attractions of the district’s headquarters in Madikeri. While you are here, also visit Namdroling Monastery in Bylakuppe, the largest Tibetan settlement of south India. Go here for a pleasant evening intermittent with monastic hymns, prayer bells and a motley of Tibetan handicrafts.
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So, I took off to Coorg along with my family because everyone of us needed a break from our usual monotonic routine. This is the time you must visit this place. It is at its best form during the monsoon season and if you don't have the wanderlust to travel to this place during this time, there's something wrong with you.It's completely covered in lush greens, a beautiful tropical scene to behold. This is the perfect time to fill your car's fuel tank and drive off to this pretty place because I swear the weather there at this time is absolutely gorgeous and not disappointing at all!

To those who do not know about Coorg, please note that Coorg is not at all a hill station in itself.It is a district named as Kodagu (Coorg) in the Indian state of Karnataka and has to offer many locations for sightseeing, and road trips in and around 80~100 kms of radius. We were not known to this as we went unplanned.I am writing this especially for all those travelers who do not belong to the region, and doesn't know much about the place. So that one can plan their trip to this beautiful place properly.

Rightly called, the Scotland of India, Coorg’s silent charm is a trekker’s haven. The trekking routes through tea and coffee plantations lead you to some of the most stunning destinations in the Western Ghats. The rippling of a white cascade at Bettigiri is music to ears as you pitch a tent here and prepare for bonfire and barbeque snacks.Best time for camping: March and April

Also known as the ‘Scotland of India’ this place has a lot to offer starting from activities to natural beauty and delicious cuisine. This is definitely one of the most opted for tourist places near Chennai within 500 kms with its exotic locations, luscious greenery and trekking options. The Coorgi Chicken curry is like heavenly food on the taste palette and historians also find fuel over here. September to May is the best time to visit this place.Distance from Chennai: 578-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Put those weekends to good use by taking these shorts breaks from Chennai. They rejuvenate you and almost give you a new lease on life. The land of the silk kanchipuram and spicy coconut dosas can get to one at times. It is during such phases when one needs to pack light and head off to a place that allows the unwinding of the mind and presents the weary bodied with ample options to relax. You could use the list of weekend getaways from Chennai to get away to. With so many places to choose from, you can never go wrong. You might want to plan ahead and visit the other places on the list. After all, a weekend off from city life could rejuvenate your spirit. If you have plans of just lazying around and reading a book, one of these places is just for you.Autumn has arrived. There is a slight chill in the air. However, deadlines at work and a hectic schedule at home have probably not given you the chance to take it all in. This calls for a short weekend trip away from the city - away from the noise, the stress and commitments. If you enjoy spending time with yourself, there are a few places near Chennai where solo travel is recommended. Pack light and set off without making an announcement. If you love travelling and you hail from Chennai, you couldn’t be in a better place. The city has so many nearby places to escape to that you’re never short of anything to do on a weekend.Plan your weekend itinerary to fit in some of the best short destinations that Chennai has to offer. If you’re looking for places near Chennai to escape momentarily from city life, these weekend destinations are the best to start with. They are a superb combination of history and architecture, fun and leisure.

At a distance of 237 km, this weekend getaway from Bangalore is officially known as Kodagu district. It's close proximity to the city makes it a desired weekend getaway from Bangalore. Coorg’s hills covered by forests, the coffee and spice plantations add to the beauty of the landscape. The town’s transportation centre is Madikeri – from where cars and buses converge with tourists.Adventure activities in Coorg includes trekking, camping, dirt biking, coffee plantations tours and exploring the wild side of nature in an excursion through its wildlife sanctuaries. The treks here are of moderate difficulty and thus meant for almost every one. The panoramic views from the top of the hills are mesmerizing. There are also a few old Buddhist and Hindu temples here. All of this make Coorg one of the most sought after places to visit near Bangalore within 300 kms.

Why go? Travel to Kodagu District, aka Coorg, to discover the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats at Madikeri. The trekking and camping opportunities near Madikeri have established it as an adventure hub for vacationers for years. Travel to this haven, where the incredible coffee plantations and numerous vantage points offer breathtaking views and make Madikeri an ideal getaway for every traveller.Things to do: The highest peak in Coorg is Tadiandamol. A day hike to this peak includes views of the rolling greens and fragrant coffee plantations, taking you right into the heart of nature.Budget tip for Coorg: Earn JPMiles as you shop online while prepping for your trip to Kodagu and redeem them later on flights.

3.Coorg: Coorg is a quaint little town located near Mysore and Bangalore. Carpeted with emerald green grass, Coorg is a sight to sore eyes and the gentle showers of monsoon do complete justice to this beauty. Glistening off the foliage like precious diamonds, the raindrops add a fresh crispness to this foliage-rich town. Famous for its delicious coffee, the intoxicating smell of the coffee beans will surely have you craving for a cuppa. The terrace gardens of Coorg, coupled with the mountains here they reside make Coorg a must visit monsoon destination of India.

After this unforgettable trip, I had to come back to the city life again. However, I made sure to visit some nearby places for rejuvenation. Over the weekend, an early morning ride to Nandi hills which is famous for catching up a beautiful sunrise scene, was all I needed. Past few weeks, I also explored Coorg, which is called mini Scotland of India. It’s characterized by lush green hills, a dense forest, and a pleasant weather. It’s a perfect location for tourism if you ask me. You get to see Coffee plantation, Dubare elephant camps, Rajaji Seat and Tibetian Monastery. My recommendation for you is to take a Homestay instead of a Hotel.

Amongst the places to visit in March in India, Coorg is one destination that should be on the very top of your bucket list. Sometimes referred to as "the adventure capital of Karnataka", this hill station is known to cater to all types of travellers, whether one wants to relax in the backyard of a coffee plantation or one is a serious trekker preparing to climb the Himalayas. With bustling rivers and paddy fields, Coorg makes for a wonderful destination to catch the last whiff of winters.Things to do: Whitewater rafting on the waters of Barapole. Trekking in the Brahmagiri range till the Tadiandamol peak. Quad-biking and other adventure activities in Kakkabe.Food: Some local favourites are pandi curry, a spicy gravy with chunks of pork, and kadumbuttu, dumplings made out of steamed rice.Weather: Average – 28 degrees Celsius. High – 34 degrees Celsius. Low – 22 degrees Celsius.Average Expenditure Per Head (excluding flights): Rs. 11,000 for 5 days.How to reach: Nearest domestic airport is in Mangalore (160km away). It could also be a good idea to take a flight till Bangalore, which is more easily accessible from all major airports, and then take an overnight bus or taxi till Coorg.For an extended guide on Coorg, refer to this trip.

This is the capital of the state of Goa and is probably the smallest state capital. Panaji is also the headquarters of the North Goa District and is situated on the banks of the Mandovi River Estuary is the Tiswada Region. The more popular name is Panaji but Panjim is also a commonly used term. This was the name by which the Portuguese used to address this city. When the whole of India got independence, Goa was still under the colonial rule of the Portuguese who freed it a number of years later. The Portuguese effect is what you will get in each and every thing of Goa and Panjim too. The attractions here are the lovely white church, the food that you will get here and of course the different types of building lined on the sides of the narrow streets. These houses are the remains of the various clans who have ruled here including the Latins and the Portuguese. The houses look beautiful and brightly coloured and many of them have simple yet pretty wrought iron balconies too. Many of these are now either resorts for budget concious travellers or restaurants for the ones who love to taste Portuguese and Goan cuisine.Read More

As soon as we woke up on our bus ride, rain greeted us and the weather suddenly became humid, but the views we encountered on our way and the excitement of the journey ahead made us ignore the uncomfortable weather.

Finally the day came. Valentine's day, we woke up early in the morning and left to Panjim for the carnival. After 30-45 minutes we reached Panjim and joined​ the carnival. Many groups were performing at that carnival, it was something that I can't forget in my life. Well planned, well coordinated. Awesome performance was given by the groups and members who participated in that Carnival . We spent our whole day in that carnival and we enjoyed to the maximum.

We then headed towards panjim, the quaint capital city of this cute state of goa. I had made my list of places to go much before the trip started and hence was searching for a boutique shop called Barefoot. It is difficult to locate but worth your time. The shop has great collection of eclectic home decor products and also pretty everyday wear jewels. The shop is located at 31st Janeiro Road or as the locals say 31st January Road, just near the subway,in a bylane.

A day I was looking forward to, today I took the ride from North Goa to South Goa. I had one beach in mind, very less known, secluded and amazingly scenic. Hollant Beach is a secluded beach close to the airport and very less people know about it. The ride is also awesome, this is one good place to pack a lunch, chill and spend a day. The major attraction is that this beach offers one km of shore line with pool like water and nominal waves. This is the place to come and play a game of water polo with your friends.I had booked a flight next day early morning, this gave me 4 full days in Goa.

We reached our stay late afternoon, a cosy homestay managed by an extremely warm and helpful elderly couple. Dumped our bags and headed to the streets for a nice Goan lunch to soak in the vibe.Walked to the beach post lunch and this is where I realised there was a side to Goa that nobody talks about, the infamous dark side.The approach road all the way to the beach, swarming with tonnes of people. But, this was not the problem; their mentality was.I was absolutely disgusted and dismayed by the absolute lack of character amongst such a large number of men. Men commenting and either trying not to keep their hands to themselves or walk straight into the girls around.The beach was equally crowded but we decided to ignore the scenario and spend the rest of the evening swimming and playing football.After sunset we decided to change and head to Baga for new years eve.No surprises here- the crowd had only gotten worse. Tonnes of drunk, unruly men; no room to enter any party places; bouncers loosing their mind. Walking down Baga hearing men pass lewd comments all along thinking to myself whatever happened to respect? Goa on new year's was supposed to be an electrifying atmosphere with a bit of romance of course but it was everything​ but that. •note to self and all of you guys reading this: plan the new year's night properly and well in advance•Read More

We reached our stay late afternoon, a cosy homestay managed by an extremely warm and helpful elderly couple. Dumped our bags and headed to the streets for a nice Goan lunch to soak in the vibe.Walked to the beach post lunch and this is where I realised there was a side to Goa that nobody talks about, the infamous dark side.The approach road all the way to the beach, swarming with tonnes of people. But, this was not the problem; their mentality was.I was absolutely disgusted and dismayed by the absolute lack of character amongst such a large number of men. Men commenting and either trying not to keep their hands to themselves or walk straight into the girls around.The beach was equally crowded but we decided to ignore the scenario and spend the rest of the evening swimming and playing football.After sunset we decided to change and head to Baga for new years eve.No surprises here- the crowd had only gotten worse. Tonnes of drunk, unruly men; no room to enter any party places; bouncers loosing their mind. Walking down Baga hearing men pass lewd comments all along thinking to myself whatever happened to respect? Goa on new year's was supposed to be an electrifying atmosphere with a bit of romance of course but it was everything​ but that. •note to self and all of you guys reading this: plan the new year's night properly and well in advance•

Today was only about getting the feel of Goa and it was not disappointing definitely. An evening walk near the resort on Calangute beach was the perfect end of the day. Few shacks were open with lesser customers but same excitement. The tranquility of seashore with clouds all over the sky was soothing.

On reaching our guest house, we freshen up and went to beach . It was around 4 a.m in the morning but the aura of the place made us forget all our tiredness. In the morning , Ankit received a call and we got to know that one of our friend is already in Goa with his family.After a peaceful snooze , we took shower and went outside , hired a car and started our local sightseeing while heading towards Panjim . We decided to join the carnival that was supposed to be held on Valentine's day there. After a long fun-filled day, we went back to guest house and took some rest. Spending night on Calangute beach with friends while enjoying the music of water waves ,beer in hands, and cold breeze, gave an awesome feeling!!

We had booked 2 tier sleeper bus tickets and reached Panjim at 8 in the morning. From there, we took a bus to Calangute which took around 40 minutes to reach. We booked two rooms at a hotel near the beach for 1200 a day. It had two big beds, a nice and clean bathroom and a balcony! We anyway needed the room just to crash at night! We spent that day chilling at the beach, drinking beer and eating goan food at one of the beach shacks.

We reached the bus stop at around 8 am, took a bus to Calangute beach and in between saw the lanes of Old Goa with Portuguese houses all around us. We reached our hotel and the rest of the people joined us in the afternoon. Directly we headed to Baga beach, some of us saw the beach for first time and they were captivated by its beauty. The tossing waves of Baga and people jumping into it for a good amount of time really held us.

Best time to visit - January,February,March,April,May,June,July,August,September,October,November,December

Known as the gateway to Karnataka, the picturesque city of Mangalore is famous for its golden beaches, revered temples and delicious coffee. This port city lies nestled between the blue waters of the Arabian Sea and the towering hills of the Western Ghats.
The pristine beach of Panambur is a popular tourist destination and also plays host to the colourful kite festival of Mangalore. Adorned with ancient murals, the Kudroli Gorakhnath Temple is frequented by many devotees. The Ullal Beach of Mangalore is a great place to enjoy water sports. Easily comparable to the Marine Drive of Mumbai, the New Mangalore Port is an ideal place to relax and unwind.
Mangalore is famous for its Udupi style dishes and staple seafood preparations. The Neer Dosa, Mangalorean fish curry, Cashew Upkari and Rasam are great introductions to this cuisine. Pallkhi, Gajalee, Cochin Bakery and Naivedyam are popular eateries here. There are multiple hotel options for tourists, extending from high-end resorts to budget hotels and even beach resorts. With its easygoing air and calm countenance, Mangalore is the perfect destination to relax and unwind. Read More

MANGALORE is one of the most important cities of Karnataka. It is the nearest airport to Manipal. If you are missing the city vibes and feel like shopping or want to be stuck in traffic for a while, Mangalore is the place to go. Mangalore offers a number of options for shopping ranging from Levi's to Calvin Klein. It also offers a good range of food joints and restaurants.

Flight journey from Mangalore to DehradunHoping for safer, smoother and shorter yatra , we left for Dehradun from Mangalore on June 18th 2016 early morning. To travel to the Chardham circuit, we hired a mini-bus from Haridwar since it was the only mode of transport that could carry 13 people across the terrains. Helicopter service has become popularity , if pilgrimage is the only objective, one can choose this mode of transport.Day 2 and 3

We decided to travel by train up to Mangalore and then hire a bus for the road journey. “Matsyagandha express” dropped us at Mangalore central station at 9.30 a.m. sharp. We hired a bus for our road journey up till Kodagu, but we decided to refuel ourselves with some breakfast. Our driver (Mr. Shivaji) took us to a nearby restaurant which served simple, yet elegant South Indian breakfast.

Bekal is a small village situated in the northernmost district of Kerala, Kasargod. This place happens to be my native too. We visit here to attend the functions at our family temple every year. Bekal is famous for the Bekal fort, which is the largest fort in Kerala. There is also a famous Shiva temple on the way to the fort.Getting here: One can visit Bekal by train or by road. The train Mangalore–Coimbatore passenger departs from Mangalore Central at 7:35 AM. The journey is of 45-50 minutes. But we usually travel by our car. It is around 75 KM ride from Mangalore city.We started at around 7 AM from Mangalore by our car. The NH66 road is in excellent condition now.Our first stop was the Anantapur Lake Temple. This temple is built in the middle of the lake in Ananthapura Village. Legend has it that the cave near the temple is connected to the Ananta Padmanabha temple of Thiruvananthapuram. Unforunately, I had not clicked any pictures of the temple during my visit there ( as our phones were switched off)

This trip with the family was long due. Since all of us were in Mangalore(my hometown) to attend a family function, we decided to go to Coorg/Kodagu for two days. We were 7 of us (my family and my cousin’s family) and we booked an SUV for the trip. The distance from Mangalore to Coorg is around 150 KM ie approximately 3 and a half hour drive. The roads were great and the weather was very pleasant.As we had gone with our parents, we did not include any adventure stuff on this tour.

Sometime back, I was travelling to Goa from Karnataka. We were going back from a friend's wedding and since we had a few days to spare, we decided to go by road. It was a crisp 8 hour drive, the best part being most of it being along the coast.

You can spend your rest of the day by visiting few others temples and churches like Kadri Temple, Gokarnanatheshwara temple, St. Aloysius Chapel etc. or you can end the day by visiting Tannirbhavi beach and Panambur beach. You can also enjoy boating and jet-skiing at Panambur. Don’t forget to taste the best ice cream of Mangaluru at Pabbas Ice Creams, Lalbagh. If you are a foodie you cannot miss on this. Also, try Kori Rotti for lunch or dinner, Korri Rotti is the authentic Mangalorean dish. Crispy Roti with chicken curry!

Before the tropical air hits you here, an uncanny sense of time travel does, as you scan the historic Vijayanagar's devastatingly beautiful ruins and temples spread across the boulder-strewn landscape.
The ancient capital of the Vijayanagara Empire (1343-1565), which has now become a favourite hipster holiday destination, is best explored on foot or bicycle. It has a lot of famous attractions such as the Hemakuta Hill, home to the ancient scattered ruins and a monolithic sculpture of Hindu God Vishnu, along with Hampi Bazaar, once an ancient trading spot for horses, silk, cows, precious stones and now a hub of handicraft shops and little restaurants, with the 15th century Virupaksha temple at its western end and the 16th century Vittala temple at its eastern end. Sule Bazaar and the Achyutaraya temple is also a must visit.
This historic expedition can get tiresome and overwhelming for many, and the village in contrast maintains a very laid back atmosphere, with innumerable guest houses spread around, some even with a fascinating spartan setting, costing no more than 300 rupees. Just like its ruins, an ancient festival called the Hampi Utsav has also been kept alive since the Vijayanagar reign and is celebrated annually in November, with light and sound shows, music and dance performances, all boasting of the Kannadigas' rich culture, set against the backdrop of Hampi's ruins. The Mango Tree restaurant is a quaint place reached via passing through a banana plantation. Other good places to eat include Prince Restaurant, Goan Corner Restaurant and Laughing Buddha, popular for South Indian, Chinese, Israeli, Tibetan, and usual vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes, enjoyed by the riverside. Read More

Hampi can be visited any time of the year, but if you want to be bedazzled with colours of the culture, visit Hampi during January, because you can be a part of the celebrations at Hampi Utsav, a festival of bonhomie – a congregation of various events to highlight the glorious past of this empire. The cultural extravaganza is a spectacle to behold. It’s a three-day long carnival. Festivities include classical & traditional dance performances, skits and dramas, fireworks, puppet shows, and spectacular parades. Book your tickets accordingly.How to Reach Hampi:Hampi is 353 KMs from Bangalore and 74 KMs from Ballari in Karnataka. The nearest commercial Airport is Hubli/Bangalore. The nearest Railway Station is at Hospet which is 13 KMs away. Hampi has a number of resorts and home stays. There are direct trains and buses to Hospet from Goa, Hubli, Ballari, Hyderabad and Bangalore. Once you land in Hospet, you can check in at any Hotel there. Hospet is dotted with numerous Hotels, Star, Economy and budget.Hampi is at a distance of 13 KMs from Hospet and you have hourly buses which ply from Hospet Bus Station. Or you can hire three wheeler Autos. Equip yourself with a good quality camera, because what you see remains etched in your mind, but what you see should also be immortalized in pictures so that others, who cannot make it to Hampi, can at least enjoy it through your pictures.When in Hampi, don’t miss to see the following:Achyutaraya Temple,BadaviLingaElephant StableHazara rama Temple ComplexJain TempleLotus MahalVittala TempleVirupaksha TempleZanana EnclosureArchaeological Museum at KamalapuraTungabhadra Dam and Nandanavana GardenJapanese Garden at MunirabadHaving soaked yourself in the magic of the Hampi rocks, its time to meet the flowers and say hello to them. Tungabhadra Dam welcomes you with flowers at its Nandanavana Garden built on the lines of Brindavan Garden and on the other side of Tungabhadra Dam you have Munirabad with a Japanese Garden. Don’t miss it.

To explore only Hampi 2 days are enough.The hotel staff arranged auto for us we reached Hampi in 10min . After getting there we saw tourists riding mopeds and bicycles,we enquired about the rental they said only one shop is renting and unfortunately by the time we reached all bicycles and mopeds are hired out(be early for vehicles by 7a.m) shop is near virupakshi temple.It's about to be off season there and the weather was too sunny. Mostly 80 percent of the tourists were foreigners and the other side we find many restaurants and shops in narrow lanes and its called Hampi Bazaar. The food points are themed differently and the food is outstanding, the other side of tungabhadra river also we got plenty of eating out options.

For adventure lovers who think climbing the boulders of Hampi during the monsoons will be pleasant, should be ready for a surprise. Karnataka receives a huge amount of rainfall from the south-west monsoon and most of its touristy destinations see a wave of humidity. Imagine going for a hike up to the ruins of Hampi and coming back in a state that makes it seem like you went for an outdoor steam and sauna bath instead!Visit Hampi in January, when it is extremely pleasant and you won't sweat too much.

Day five the train travels to Hospet, the station you de-board at to visit Hampi. Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a place to truly understand and appreciate the ancient architecture and art of the Southern Indian rulers. The capital of Vijaywada Dynasty, Hampi currently is one of the most popular destinations to visit. It is identified by a humongous stone chariot, in the verandah of Vijaya Vittala temple complex. This is also the stone chariot after which the train was named.Sights Covered: Hampi sightseeing - Hema Kuta Hill, Virupaksha temple, Queens Bath, elephant stables, royal enclosure, Hazara Rama Temple, Vijaya Vittala temple complex, and Tungabhadra river.Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner on board.Timings: 8.30am for Hampi sightseeing, 3.30 pm for Vijaya Vittala temple complex and 5pm at Tungabhadra river.

As we started nearing Hampi, Centuries looked down upon us. Being amidst Centuries of stories, of ideas, of people that weren’t but their work that was still around. This was overwhelming. The rickshaw-wala dropped us at the town, on the banks of the beautiful Tungabhadra river, where we had to lug our backpacks into the ferry and go across the river.Both the times in Hampi, we stayed at Mowgli Guest House in a small hut overlooking the beautiful paddy fields. Many a sunsets were seen lounging here, drinking ‘lemon ginger honey’ and soaking the sunset sky in.

The easiest and cheapest way to visit Hampi is to book a bus from Bangalore (use redbus.in).Its only an overnight journey and you will reach Hampi quite fresh and active. On reaching Hampi, the only means of transportation up to your home stay would be an auto.

We next went to Queens bath , Lotus temple,Elephant stable and Kings court,Shiva temple and many more architectural wonders which mesmerised us with the beauty,tales behind them ,sculptures,stone carved idols.

My first coracle ride was at 2 am in the middle of a chilling night from Sanapur to Hampi ,crossing the tranquil Tungabhadra. Me along with my five friends had gone to Sanapur from Hampi by taking a motor boat early in the day for spending some time there, as Sanapur was one of the most happening places around. So by completing all the so called 'To do check list' in Sanapur we came back to the banks of Tungabhadra hoping for a boat to take us over to Hampi as our hotel rooms were there. But there was no boat and only a coracle laid there in the dark welcoming us and and a small boy was on board with an oar in his hand.The coracle thing was not in our checklist and we had to improvise it, if we had to make it to the other side of the river and get to sleep. We hopped into the coracle after negotiating the night rates. Yeah! you know it, nights are costly.The coracle thing was made out of interlaced bamboo strips from side to the bottom. Obviously I coudn't see whether it was made of bamboo or plastic or whatever in the middle of a dark night . But you know what ,I figured it out the next day, and the day after as it turned out , I had never waited for a motor boat again in that trip, because that coracle ride in the middle of the night was pure bliss. It was not much far from floating in Tungabhadra .

Hampi in Karnataka, which is a group of ruins and monuments, used to originally be the go to place for wall climbers. But this pretty much changed when bouldering enthusiasts were overtaken by the crowds who decided to give 'revisiting history' a chance. So many Israeli cafes have opened up here, and intoxication is quite common. Hampi isn't completely done and dusted. There's still time to save this beautiful heritage site from the wrath of unwanted, careless tourists.

Only thing we did different today was 40km ride to Benaulim Beach. Road was in very good condition and we took around 40 mins to reach there from Agonda. The beaches in the south Goa are clean, beautiful and less crowded. You can make out the difference if you visit Panaji or Calangute at this time of the year.Read More

Only thing we did different today was 40km ride to Benaulim Beach. Road was in very good condition and we took around 40 mins to reach there from Agonda. The beaches in the south Goa are clean, beautiful and less crowded. You can make out the difference if you visit Panaji or Calangute at this time of the year.

To sum it all South Goa is the more serene half of the state where you’ll find some fabulous historic sights, Goa’s finest Portuguese mansions, winding country lanes and a series of resorts that range from the 5star hotel strips of Cavelossim and village feel of Benaulim, to the backpacker – friendly beach hut bliss of Palolem, Patnem and Agonda.If you want to drift into tranquility the south is a redolent, rewarding and re-energizing place to base yourself.

We arrived at around 10.30 am via a bus from Mumbai, the place is well connected from Mumbai. You get a lot of options, personally we chose to stick to travelling in a sleeper bus, which can cost somewhere from Rs.1400 - Rs1500.Benaulim, is close to Madgao so our halt was at Madgao, from where we booked an Innova for the duration of our stay there. It is advisable to book a car or a bike, as per convenience since the transportation otherwise via auto or cab can cost you a lot.A decent car can be availed within the budget of Rs.1000-1500 and a bigger one can dig a hole in your pocket upto Rs.3000.

A tiny beach town located within 10 kms of the bustling Madgaon is a must visit. It has a white sand beach which is relatively empty and has only a couple of shacks to eat. It is a place where you can sit under the beautifully clear night sky and spot the uncountable stars and galaxies in awe and admiration. It is so beautiful that you sometimes fear this is too good to be true and you are either hallucinating and It is just a huge painted ceiling you are stating at. One can also make an occasional wish on a falling star in the quiet and clear night. The village itself is located among green rain kissed coconut trees and small, beautiful and clean houses with a garden on the porch adorn the countryside. The feeling is that you have been transported to a time gone by as you sit and reminiscence about where you are, what you have achieved and most importantly what could have been.Varca Beach:

Kolhapur, in Maharashtra, is a land of temples and regal palaces. The most revered of them is the Mahalaxmi Temple, which has a simple yet fascinating structure. Other temples here are the Temlabai temple, Jyotiba temple and the Bimkhambi Ganesh temple. The Shri Chhatrapati Shahu Museum, which was once the residence of the first Maharaja of the Maratha Empire, is a vivid display of artefacts representing the ancient history of the city. Take a walk through history at the Panhala Fort, which is an imposing fortification believed to have housed Chhatrapati Shivaji himself.
Kolhapur is known for its spicy array of Maharashtrian food. Try some of the local delicacies at Padma Guest House, Waman Guest House and Parakh. Being a bustling tourist destination, Kolhapur has a lot to offer when it comes to lodging for all types of budget travellers. Don't forget to take back the local Kolhapuri Chappals, that make for lovely traditional footwear. Read More

Now the D Day arrived it was 1st of Dec and I was sitting in my office preparing powerpoint presentation for the client instead of our roadtrip and celebrating our anniversary with my wife . My wife availed the leave as she had informed all her colleagues that we are going for the roadtrip and if she will go offc everyone will ask what happened. She was angry too and we didn’t talked in the morningMe : Hello, Happy AnniversaryWife : So ??? Do your offc work ( I can feel the Angriness on the other side of phone )Me : Lets continue our tripWife : How ????Me : Will travel in Night , pack the bags and be ready . We will start the journey once I reach home from OffcWife : Is it possible ?Me: Yes we will start today and cut short the journeyWife: YipppieMe: Ok, I will reach home by 4 will start soonSomehow pleaded to my manager that I will leave a bit early and he agreed. Now the wait was killing. Once the clock strike 3 30 PM I left office and was at home. When reached home found that the luggage is full ( Thanks to my wife who travels very heavy ) .Now there is no time to repack bags so we started from Pune by 5 PM with a good pace in chilling winter reached Kolhapur by 11 PM. Time to take rest in a pre-booked hotelNow another jolt of hammer, we informed the hotel earlier that we will be doing card payment, thanks to demonetisation we had only INR 6000 of hard cash. He agreed upon that but once we reached Kolhapur found that his swiping machine was not working as the internet is down ( Thanks to NHAI fellow who cut the broadband line while digging) and also he didn’t had any Paytm account. We tried for Online Transfer also but we failed. Now with no option left, we paid 2k to him in hard cash.Now the biggest question “Shall we return to Pune as we have only INR 4000 left”. Wife said will decide tomorrow morning as it’s already too late

The closest central place, to cover the spots, in Kolhapur one can visit Mahalakshmi Mandir, Binkhambi Ganesh Mandir, Shahu Place, Rankala Lake. Also you can visit famous Jyotiba temple which is hardly 26 Km from the place all places can be covered in 2 days span

From Kolhapur to Malvan it takes 5 hours. There are two routes to reach Malvan- via Gaganbawada ghat or via Radhanagri. We took the route via Radhanagri village. The road condition is good. But the route has lots of turns and swirls. We left from Kolhapur at 7.30am and reached Malvan at 1.30pm. On the way we stopped at Radhanagri for breakfast and at backwaters, a little ahead from Radhanagri near Anuradha village.

This is a place which was first discovered by the hippies and is situated in the Northern part of Goa. This is a beach known to be one of the most popular in Goa and is surrounded by the Calangute Beach on one side and the Anjuna Beach on the other side. The Baga Beach starts from where the Calangute Beach ends though the place cannot be exactly pin pointed. This is also a shoppers paradise with all sorts of flea markets and the fresh seafood is wow over here. Also, you can enjoy a number of water sports and activities in this beach area such as jet skiing, para sailing, surfing and others. The people around here are always in a festive mood and dance and music are a major part of their culture here. They have carnivals during christmas and New Year too. Also, the people here are very religious and the main religion followed here is Christianity. The lifestyle here is a blend of Indian and Portuguese to a large extent. This is a stunning evidence of the fact that Goa was under the rule of Portuguese colonies till even a decades ago before it was taken over by the Indian Government.Read More

It was close to midnight and I wasn't going to let a bunch of hooligans ruin it for me so I decided to drown them out and we just got our group together and danced our way into the new year accompanied by firework displays along the entire beach. With the new year set in we could see the crowd get more unfiltered and decided to head elsewhere and ended up in a Russian party. It was a private party but since we were a mixed bunch they let us in. Some good music, food and a better crowd kept us going till about 4am after which we decided to get some sleep.

Have lunch at Britto's beach shack (Recommended dish - Anything really!)Explored Baga beach which is one of the most famous beaches to chill, explore various shacks and for water sports.Dinner at A Reverie, Calangute - One of the best fine dine restaurants I've visited in Goa. They serve the most decadent dishes possible ranging from Indian to Continental! They also have an extremely romantic open ambience with a live band playing lovely music in the background. (Recommended dish - Thai Thali)

https://youtu.be/62_n5dvTxgQAt night we started with welcome drink and as you know"I wouldn't want to disclose what happened in Goa"On next day, after Baga beach, we headed towards Panaji. It is a well-planned city just about 20 kilometres from Goa. The road connecting the Panaji is 3 lanes expressway and riding a bike on this road is quite a fun. Panjim is the home of one of the popular Basilica of Portuguese times; Basilica of Bom Jesus.

At night we went to Baga Beach which is not very far from Calangute. That night was the most incredible night ever! The beach shacks were lit in sparkling lights and I could hear country side music playing in the backround. It was my birthday the next day and my friends surprised me with a cake and sky lanterns at midnight. We stayed there till 3 walking along the soft sand, looking at the waves clashing on the shore, sparkling in the moonlight!

Woke up and hired a bike from the owners of the huts we were staying at to enjoy a nice ride to Baga beach for breakfast. But as it always happens with me, the quantity as well as the quality of the crowd got to me and I could not get back to peaceful old Mandrem fast enough. Had an idle evening at Mandrem with lots of dips and food.

Sigh. Need I tell you anything more about this place? You plan for it every year, and the plan ultimately fails. This time, make it happen.Must do while here: Go paragliding on the beach. Spend the entire night in a frenzy on the Baga lane.Average cost per day per head (excluding flights): Rs. 2,000Best Hotels.Read more about Baga.Well-well, just create a WhatsApp group with all your buddies today and materialise a big plan as soon as possible. It's been long overdue. If you have interesting stories to tell us about travelling with your gang, do share them with us here. We're all ears!

Long live Goa.. "once more" is the word when it comes to Goa.. This is strictly with regard to north Goa; since I didn't get a chance to leave it and explore the south. So, my trip was with 5 of my school friends and it was planned for 5 days stay in Goa. It was a first for all of us in Goa. Since we were jobless at that moment, our budget was roughly 10k for each but it ended up in just 8k per head! Yes! you read that right. As it was march, we killed our "no ways" and booked out train tickets in sleeper class. It cost us 700/- per head for one way. Surprisingly, despite of the 33 hours long journey, the konkan scenaries and vada pao venders made it go in a poof! We had booked it till Thivim; since we were sticking to Baga-Calangute only. We booked a cab for 6 of us from Thivim to Titos lane, Baga, for 500/- and stayed there at Casa Madgaonkar Villa by paying 2800/- per night for the whole villa with kitchen. The villa is really nice and best for its location. Its on Titos lane 2, which is just opposite Titos lane and you can see the beach and tiding sea waves from just standing outside these villas. We rented 2 scooty and 1 avenger for 250/- each per day and 600/- per day respectively.

What I do primarily when I reach my room? I take out my locket out and wear it instantly before any 'Kala Jadu' happens to me at the newest-most-exciting-happening place of India. Oh, yes, I again changed so that I could use all the 6 Tees and wardrobe I purchased especially for this heavenly trip.

If you are feeling a bit more adventurous, you can hire a bike or car and drive till the Yana Village nearby. It's 53km away, which means you will be on the road for around an hour and a half. This village is famous for its unusual rock formations (as shown in the picture above) called Karst or Asteroids. This attracts many trekkers here, resulting in economic benefits for this tiny village. This place also hosts an annual car festival during Shivratris, so you can plan your trip accordingly if you wish to witness that. The surrounding areas are populated by dense green forests where you can easily chill for a while and enjoy the view before hitting the road back to Gokarna.

4. YANA - A hill station situated in Uttara Kannada district, is located in the Sahyadri mountain range. It is famous for thick forest, streams, Goddess Durga bronze statue cave, Swayambhu shiva lingam, and Vibhuti falls. How To Reach - By Air- There are flights till Bangalore and then there is flight direct to Yana. By Road- there are direct buses to Yana from Bangalore.By Train- from Bangalore taking a train to kumta and from there many reach Yana. Yana is famous for two massive rocks-Mohini shikara and Bhairaveshwara shikara.Best time to visit Yana is in the month of September-October. Rock climbing, rafting and diving are famous adventure sports in Yana.5. NERSA - It is situated at Belgaum district at an height of 762m. It is very popular for Mahadayi valley, rich flora, picturesque steepy rock region, and wildlife for bats where 40 species are seen. How to Reach -By Air - Bangalore is the nearest airport and from there 505km away is Nersa. By Train - Khanapur is nearest junction.By road - They are well connected highways. Nersa is famous for Mahadayi valley which is a famous picnic spot.August-September are the best months to visit Nersa. Trekking and paragliding are famous adventure sports done in Nersa.

Yana is famous for these two massive rock outcrops known as the Bhairaveshwara Shikhara and the Mohini Shikhara ("Shikhara" means "hill"). The huge rocks are composed of solid black, crystalline Karst limestone. And one more thing you can spot quiet easily if you enter the forest instead of taking conventional route is Black Cobra. But again not sure we were Lucky not to spot one or Unlucky to see one. Half way through the 2Kms trek to the Massive rock Lord Indra started his wrath by pouring heavy rains and left us with no option but to get drenched. After seeing the huge rocks eyes were filled with joy and minds were filled with questions, on the formation of such a huge structure. Post the visit we started the journey back to our Karma Bhumi and on the way back we got the chance to take the blessing of Goddess Marikamba.

“Yaana.... a time machine that can take you back to a time bygone, long before civilization was born, when life probably was at its very early stage of evolution, when the landscape of this little blue earth would have been very different,....”I remembered the first time I had visited this awe inspiring place several years ago, we had walked up to watch these unique rock formations, hundreds of bee hives, stench of bat droppings and the play of light and shadow.